Meet Our Team - Oldaker Street Dental

Hailing all the way from the Gold Coast, Dr. Owen is loving the slower-paced lifestyle in Devonport, without peak hour traffic and the long commute to work. He and Dr Nicole met at university in Cairns, and it was Owen who suggested moving to Devonport, we are quite sure he regrets this decision in the midst of the Tassie winter!

Dr. Owen has a kind and caring approach to dentistry, enjoying all aspects of private practice. He loves meeting new patients and helping them to achieve their dental goals, with a bit (a lot) of social chat in between! He enjoys getting to know each patient, and values the relationships he builds.

Dr. Owen has previously spent time working in Bundaberg, Cairns, Thursday Island and has undertaken outreach work in the Solomon Islands, which was an incredible experience and something he hopes to do again in the future.When not at work, Dr. Owen enjoys spending time with his little girl Pia (and occasionally with Dr Nicole!), mountain biking, bush walking, catching up with friends over a Tassie craft beer and walking his weimaraner Mo (who can often be seen roaming around in the practice yard on weekends or driving around Devonport on the back of the ute!)

Fun Fact: He is ambidextrous, which is a little challenging for his dental assistant. He also worked as a long haul truck driver for 6 years before deciding he would like to be a dentist, definitely not the most common career progression!

DR NICOLE JOHNSTON (NEE PERRY)

DENTIST

B.Dent (JCU- Cairns). B.Nurse (UTAS – Launceston)

Dr. Nicole is a Devonport local born and bred, and is very much enjoying being a part of the tight-knit Devonport community again, after many years living in Queensland, although she is missing the sunny QLD weather just a little.

Since working as a registered nurse in various emergency departments throughout Tasmania, Queensland and the Northern Territory, Nicole has discovered her true passion in a career in dentistry.

Dr. Nicole enjoys all areas of private practice, and like Dr Owen, is always up for a chat. Dr. Nicole loves treating children and is thrilled that her new pink dental chair is attracting so many small people to Oldaker Street Dental. She has worked publicly in Cairns and Alice Springs, where she thoroughly enjoyed delivering dental treatment to remote Indigenous communities.

Outside of work, Dr. Nicole spends most of her time running, swimming or at the gym, and has competed nationally in the 800m (running) over many years, although spending time with their daughter, little Pia, has recently taken centre stage in both Dr Nicole and Dr Owen’s lives… along with their dog Mo, of course!

Fun Fact: Dr Nicole’s favourite colour is pink (yes, not a great fact, this is obvious to anyone who steps into her surgery), she also LOVES shopping and once featured in a Mazda TV advertisement which aired in Japan while she was at university. She has a thing for earrings and wears some interesting ones most days to work!

Dr Gerhardus Van De Merwe

DENTIST

Dr Gerhard is originally from South Africa, and has been working in Australia for 12 years. He has worked with Dr Owen and Dr Nicole over the past 4 years in the public dental service. These three enjoyed working together so much that Dr Gerhard decided to join them at OSD a few days a week.

Dr Gerhard enjoys all areas of general dentistry with a special interest (and loads of experience) in wisdom teeth removal.

In his non-dental time, Dr Gerhard loves camping and recently returned from travelling around Australia with his wife and two boys (in arguably one of the best camper set ups around) for a whole year! You may also find Dr Gerhard out in his boat fishing or spending time with his family and their two dogs, Charlotte and Romeo

Fun Fact: Before studying dentistry, Dr Gerhard ran a holiday resort in Mozambique where he took people out scuba diving and fishing. He almost didn’t accept the University’s offer to study Dentistry because the resort life was so enjoyable… we are so pleased he did though!

Dr Fraser Lyon

DENTIST

Dr Fraser is a little like a boomerang, he always seems to return to Devonport, which we are very happy about.Dr Fraser is a Devonport local born and bred. He came back last year to help when Dr Nicole and Dr Owen went on holiday… he clearly enjoyed it and is now back working with us 3 days a week.

Dr Fraser trained in athletics with Dr Nicole for many years in Devonport (Yessssss, there’s that pattern again… we promise we DO employ dentists who are NOT runners too!). He also studied in Cairns at James Cook University with both Dr Owen and Dr Nicole. The three have done many a trip together, including hiking, mountain biking and the odd triathlon.

Dr Fraser has spent the past few years working in private practice in beautiful Airlie Beach, and enjoys all areas of private practice.In his downtime, Dr Fraser enjoys mountain biking, hiking and fishing

Fun Fact: Dr Fraser is deaf in one ear! He also competed as a professional triathlete prior to beginning dentistry.

Dr Lily Horniblow

DENTIST

After joining us for a few locum stints, Dr Lily has decided it’s time to make the NW coast her home again, and we are VERY excited to have her back!

Dr Lily is a North West Coast original, completing her schooling at Marist Regional College and Don College before relocating to Melbourne and Sydney to study Science & then Dentistry.

You might see Dr Lily out walking or running with her cute doggie Rory, or at a yoga class. She also enjoys travelling, camping and hiking when not helping people achieve their best smile.

Fun Fact: Lily is taking an online course in Spanish! So if you happen to be fluent in Spanish, book in with Lily to test her out!

Justine Barber

Cosmetic Injector/ Registered Nurse

Justine qualified as a Registered nurse at the University of Tasmania and has since been working in the Emergency Department at the Mersey and North West Regional Hospitals. Her true passion, however, lies with cosmetic nursing and helping individuals achieve an appearance they love.

Services Offered by Justine:
- Anti
- Wrinkle
- Dermal filler
- PDO threads
- Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) treatment

For a consultation/ treatment with Justine please book via primaaesthetics.gettimely.com

SHANNAE von Stieglitz

Hayley Davies

Natalie Hagemann

Keneisha Steward

Tess Horton

MANDY BENNETT

Sterilisation Technician

After more than 20 years working as a bank teller at Westpac and a financier at Armaguard, Mandy (or Mands as she is more commonly known) is thoroughly enjoying the change of scenery in the dental world.

Admittedly quite anxious about dental visits herself, she loves getting to know our patients and their families and making their experience at the practice a pleasant one.Mandy spends most of her time in the sterilization bay of OSD, or ensuring the place is SPOTLESSLY clean.

Outside of work Mandy enjoys spending time with her granddaughter Pia, travelling with her husband, reading and gardening… and a good glass of wine.

Fun Fact: Yes, Mands is Dr Nicole’s MUM and definitely taught Dr Nicole the fine art of shopping! Mands is a whizz at spelling and won the typing award way back in her school days… something Dr Nicole & her sister Carly got many a laugh about growing up (Mands will likely be displeased it has again been mentioned here haha)